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Search Engines and Algorithms, Part 2

by Dennis Faas on July, 31 2003 at 08:07AM EDT

RE: search engines and algorithms

One of the determining factors in the way that Google ranks a web site depends on something called link popularity. In fact, Google has patented technology known as "Page Rank", which lists sites based on how many other web sites are pointing to it (by the use of web links).

For example: Lockergnome has very high link popularity because many other web sites on the Internet are linked to Lockergnome. Essentially, Google considers that: if a web page / site (such as Lockergnome) is regarded by a large number of other web sites, it increases the relevancy of the web site; this web site must therefore rank high in the list of search results. That makes good sense to me.

Did I mentioned that link popularity isn't the only thing that makes a web site rank high?

Among other things, the design and layout of a web site also plays a crucial role when it comes to how a web site is ranked, especially if the a web page has relevant keywords (used in a search query) prominently displayed on the site. This may explain why infopacket.com's rank for the keyword term "windows newsletter" dipped from positions #2 and #3 on Google's search engine to what is now listed at #24. Yikes!

OK -- so why does all of this stuff matter, again?

Well, I'm glad you asked! Not everyone is going to find out about infopackets.com by typing in "windows newsletter" in a search engine (although, it's a start). Most users who are looking for a web site with pertinent information will start out with a basic query related to computers, like "disk defrag" or "loadqm.exe" -- you know, kind of like the stuff we talk about in this newsletter.

So, by now you must know what I'm about to ask.

In order to expose this web site to the world, I need all the great Readers of this newsletter to link to infopackets.com. But before you go and do that, let me explain why.

If there are more people reading this newsletter, there is a greater chance someone will send in a question. The questions I receive give me more things to talk about in this newsletter. The more stuff I have to talk about, the more stuff you get to read. In short --

I feed off of the Readers of this newsletter: if I didn't have people emailing me and asking me questions, there wouldn't be anything interesting to write about. Mind you, I can't respond to all emails I get (but I do my best).

So, it's up to you keep this newsletter great -- please do your part!

If you own a web site, have a home page / web page, or anything that is connected to the Internet -- I would ask that you please take a moment to link to infopackets.com. If you publish articles on the 'net, consider linking to infopackets.com in your newsletter or blog (personal diary).

I would forever be grateful, and your link will surely give back to all the Readers of this newsletter.

Here's how to link to infopackets.com:

For simplicity, just copy the code below and insert it into your web page. Your link can point to either the main infopackets page or the archive page (which lists all newsletters):